The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-10-27
AnENT DIVISION.

contains lCU,UUU square miles
that therefore it costs less for It's gov.
eminent than if it were divided into
two states each having its own separ.
ate officials and institutions, and yet
that is the unqualified assertion of
those who are preaching division. Now
in %refutation Of this fallacious and
false statement let us consider, first;
the facts which statistics show by
comparison with other states as to the
rate of taxation therein, and in this
connection we Gull from an article re.
Gently written by James NJ. Quinn
Esq, and published in the Bismarck
Tribune as follows
Texas is over four times as large
as Louisiana. The cost Of govern.
,ment in Texas is $1.35 per capita,
while in Louisiana it is $40.
New York is about twice as large as
Maine, yet the cost Of government IN
Maine is$1.64 per capita, while in New
York it is $1.55
In Missouri with 65.735 square
miles the cost is only 90 cents per
head, while in Ohio with but 40, 76O
square miles, it is $1.60.
: Vermont is eight times as large as
Rhode Island. The cost in Vermont
is S1.21 per head, or 81 cents less than
in little Rhode Island"
; These facts are indisputable and
. ought to dispose ofthis statement from
a comparative statistical point OF view
T.Seond:-1t must be conceded rs a sine
qua non that the same number and
character Of officials necessary for the
efficient and honest administration Of
affairs is essential for two states as are
: now sufficient for one. The main
source Of revenue if not the only one,
for defraying the expenses thereof, it
must be likewise admitted is the land,
the broad acres that constitute these
150, 1000 square miles. Now if there
is any class of people who have occas-
ion to know and understand, in many
cases to their sorrow, the conclusion
evolved from the premises above stat
led, it is the farmers-the owners Of
these acres and it is to them we put this
question in all seriousness; if it takes
% mills to run the government where
there are $50, 900 square miles to levy
ION, will it not take twice that or five
mills to run the same sort of govern
sment where there are only $4,000
square miles on which TO levy the tax?
The answer that must come up to every
man cannot be gainsayed. Our tares
must necessarily be doubled and when is
considered the fact that by reason of
longer settlement and greater popu-
lation South Dakota has more avail
able land from which to derive its
revenue for governmental support
than North Dakota, which is more
sparsely settled and has less populat-
) ion, q fortiori it must be evident to
every man who reasons this matter
eout, that at the present time and per-
thaps for several years to come thestate
of North Dakota would have to bear
rs per cent of the burden which is now
borne by the whole Of Dakota. But
the fallacy of the argument so tenac-
.iously held and advanced by the divis-
,%ionists on this ana every other branch
of this subject is from reasoning on the
assumption that Dakota is to remain
in point Of population and resources
the same as it is to day. They forget
it's past development and ignore its
future growth. greatness and ability.
We are not living for the present, but
Tor the future. We must consider
1.-THE day, not very far distant when
what is called North Dakota will equa'
in population and industrial develcp
ment as she now ranks in intelligence.
that portion south of the seventh stand.
ard parallel, and yet in that day O.
equal population, prestige and power
the north would have as much taxes
ito pay as the south, and Which are no"
distributed equitably between them.
In regard to the pleas put fort h. by
the divisionists that the distance nee
essary to be travelled by legislators tc
tthe capitol and by the people who are
to organize against the politicians
(meaning doubtless the lean and hung
ry ones who are anxious to serve the
dear people in two states because in
eone there would necessarily be a large
number left out in the cold) general
sing hat pernicious system so we'll un-
derstood by Dakota politicians especi-
ally of the southern statehood strjpecai-
led the proxy system, it is not to BE- de:
MED that they are evils to be deplored
butin.the first place the conditions un-
der WHICH such evils existed and grew
powerful, are fast fading away before
the advent,o OF the iron horse which is
now poking its nose into every nook
and corner Of the, territory and which
in less than FIVE years would eff ctu-
tally bring the people nearer to their
servants, who would seem to need so
much watching, provided the capitol
were more centrally located lin the
second place, these evils would disap.
pear before the enlightened action of
The people, whose remedy therefor
lies not in the multiplication of offices
or. in the reduction of the territorial
area, but IN their determination to re-
:Iegate to the rear those men who in
their Il, legislative or other
capacity have proved false and
80 1..-a%#I. #@ L. $500 49, - oo1I +&s.N